Modems (which to get)?

[bob05]

Hi. I have a question: What are some good modems to buy and what are some not to buy (don't say generic). Please name some brands and/or models Please name as many as you can!

Thanxs if u can...:confused: :( :confused:

[cook_n]

I have purchased some really inexpensive modems form Actiontec with no problems at all and good support.

[NDD]

U.S. Robotics/3COM
ESS
Elsa
Dynamode (have myself)

Most todays' modems are "WinModems", i.e. using main CPU to perform required data encoding/decoding procedures, so they pretty much all the same now. Most are made using Rockwell/Motorola/Conexant/Lucent chipsets, so one which uses this chipset should be OK.

Still, U.S. Robotics Rule :D

[lowlife_ltd]

What ever you do do not get one with an Intel Chip set unless ur runnnin' a P system, I've made that error :mad:

[Bovon]

My success story was buying the ISA USR/3Com hardware modem. This modem has its own processor, and will out perform most winmodems big time. Problem now is, the dang mobo makers are leaving off the legacy ISA slot.

My worst modem ever was a winmodem using Rockwell chipsets. I fought that thing for months, and could not understand why I was being disconnected about every 5 minutes. I could hear all of the retraining going on, but didn't know what it was at the time. Finally, the help tech at the ISP I had at the time asked me if I could try a USR ISA modem. I said if it would work for me, I sure would try it. I did, and never have looked back. I can stay connected 24/7 if I wanted to (and my ISP would allow it.) I have stayed connected as much as 15 hours in one stretch.

There are external USR modems that work thru the serial port. I don't have one, but I understand they do a great job also. I almost bought one at eBay last year when some guy had a bunch on a dutch auction for $35 bucks each. These external USR 56 K modems sell new for over $200 bucks I think...not sure of that now...they used to.

[gkline]

3Com make a PCI 56k hardware modem model#2977 or 2976 OEM for @$35 that I have and is excellent. I've recently gone to cable modem so I don't use it any more.

[rextex]

Diamond is a good modem.I have a diamond supra.Internal Isa.It has been working for 8-9 years.
Of course they have newer ones.
A lot of computer savvy writers I've read have recommend using an external modem.They are more expensive.If you're going to go that way you could get a new USB connected one.One good thing about USB is you don't have to worry about IRQ conflicts, port settings, etc. So they are easy to set up.
The other things about modems is, as Bovon mentions, ones that are NOT "winmodems".That is they have an onboard hardware chip that does all the work, instead of the CPU.They are supposed to be better, per se.

Here's a link for Diamond modems at Axiontech:
http://www.axiontech.com/cgi-local/search1.asp?cat=modems&keyword=diamond&pf=mfg

[ironik311]

I have an acermodem FMV56k. It is an external modem and I would have to say that if you are going for dial-up then get an external. There are several advantages:
- easy portablility between computers
- less compatability issues than internals
- longer lifespan (IMO and I have heard several comments supporting this)

They aren't as cheap as an internal, but the little extra you pay is worth it.

[OlegB]

I can immediately go against Diamond. I have a brand new (3 weeks) diamond supra express USB. Horrible piece of harware. Connection soeed sucks, throughput sucks, they even made the driver installation suck even though its a USB modem.

What you need to get, if u want a good modem, is an external 3com/USR which supports v.92
Check their website for models. V.92 will allow you to get almost 48k upstream which helps a lot for games and is just in general better than v.90 (but not many modems can support it)

I use a 5 year old external (serial) USR sportster faxmodem that i got for $150 back in the day. I get average download speeds of about 5.3KB/s. I also have no lag problems when playing games like Continuum. I have never heard of any1 whose 56k dial-up out perfrms mine. Average uptime is 3 day, record was 8 days (AOL).

If you're on a budget get an internal, but no winmodem!

[Mr. Sparkle]

I have used nothing but US Robotics External (serial) modems with my own PCs for the past 8 years. Never once have I had a problem with them, and I always manage a decent connection, despite the poor quality of the lines in my area. Yes, they are a bit more expensive, but they are definately worth it.

Avoid all USB modems like the plague, they are a pain in the ***, hard as hell to get working, and even if you manage a good connection on them, they take up too much overhead. If you absolutely HAVE to have a WinModem, Connextant does have one semi-decent chipset out. I forget which one it is, I'll looke it up, but I know a few manufacturers have modems out based on that chipset.

[dmoltrup]

I have two Zoom modems that I use. One is internal and the other external.

Internal - It is the Zoom v.92 PCI modem (Conexant chipset). When I recently looked for updated drivers, the website told me to look at the modem for a model number. According to the label on my modem, it is a 2925. I found that model listed under the v.90 PCI modem drivers. After e-mailing tech support about it, the techie responded that the dump of its internal test I sent along with my email tells him it is actually the 3025. I downloaded the driver and it works great. Seems it got mislabelled on the modem somehow. That would be QUITE deceiving to someone that doesn't really know what they're doing. ESPECIALLY in the rare instance that an ISP tells them that in order to resolve a connection issue with their modems, he/she needs to download a firmware update. It *could* possibly render the modem about as useful as a dirty styrofoam plate.

External - I got the nifty Zoom Mini USB v.92 (model 3090).
I used it as my primary modem on a laptop and another desktop I had recently. Now I don't use those other two, and would like to put it in my main rig to save a PCI slot, BUT there isn't a Windows XP driver yet.

Result: Technically the same modem, one internal and one USB. The internal is labelled wrong, causing someone to possibly load the wrong driver/EPROM update utility. The external has been sitting for a while waiting for a driver for XP.

[dmoltrup]

BTW - My internal PCI modem connects at 46,600 (without forcing it higher). My download throughput is approximately 5.1KB/sec.
The external USB usually connected at 56,000, and had a throughput of about 7KB/sec.

The problem is that I am now using Download Accelerator. I wasn't before, so I can't really make an accurate comparison in the throughput speed. When I would go from using the USB on my laptop, to using the PCI on my desktop, it would FEEL slower. It is a bit odd, because the laptop is a much slower computer. It would only feel slower, by the way, if it was a fairly simple page. In a complex page, the laptop would suck, because it has very little RAM and, again, is slower.

[elroy]

Zoom has outstanding tech support. If you call them they actually answer the phone and help you. I called them once and got through after 4 rings, a tech guy answered the phone and helped me.
Avoid modems with PC-Tel chipsets. Nothing but trouble and will waste hours of your time. There are a lot of old ISA hardware modems with Rockwell chipsets that are real good.
Read here- http://808hi.com/56k/index.asp

[Alnath]

in the uk you can buy a fully hardware serial external V.92 speedcom+ for £23. How ever is performs no better than my old hardware ISA modem and both are slightly slower than an £8 PCI winmodem :( work that out.

[dmoltrup]

I sent an email to Zoom tech support. After waiting for an excruciatingly long HALF HOUR, I got this reply:
SUGGESTED SOLUTION
---------------------------------------------------------------
At 03/20/2002 09:26 AM we wrote - Thank you for your inquiry.

Microsoft made significant changes to the inner workings of USB in Windows XP. This change caused the minimum system requirements for the Model 3090 to include a Pentium 3 750 mhz PC for Windows XP.

We are sorry if Windows XP causes a problem for you and your model 3090. If it does, and you have a Pentium processor above 750 mhz, please try the Beta driver posted on our website at;

http://www.zoomtel.com/ts1/analog/beta.shtml

Please let me know the results after loading the driver.

Thank you,
Don Campbell, Manager
Technical Support

Half hour. Not bad! :)

[skuz]

USR are the best modems for an extra clean phone line.

If your lines are a little noisy like mine (even though you don't hear it), I recommend Diamond Supra SUP2751. It's V.92 and internal. Their external USB modem isn't good. Even though the 2751 is a software modem, it's very stable and fast.

[chris307uk]

i have loads of internal modems about the place here.but the one that connects and dials the quickest and most reliable is a elsa pci modem it did cost me a drop though had it over a year no probs

[BigBlue66]

My wife's machine has a Creative Modem Blaster, external 56K that hooks up to a serial port. I would highly recommend this modem, as it's fast and rock solid stable.

My machine has an internal 3Com U.S. Robotics Performance Pro 56K Fax modem. It's a PCI based modem that uses its own onboard controller for modem functions. I would highly recommend this modem as well. Since it uses its own controller, it's analagous to a hardware based modem.

Also, no matter which modem you decide on, spend the extra money and get a Belkin manufactured high speed modem phone cable. You can find them at Wal-Mart for ~$12. I just bought one and it upped my connection speed by as much as 6,000bps.

[bob05]

is an internal modem faster than an external?

[namrak]

How fast your connection does not depend on whether its external or internal. However, it is very dependent on how "clean" your line is and whether or not your modem supports up to 56kbps. Please note, that 56 kbps represents theoretical throughput and I've not seen one person on a regular dialup ever achieve this. The best I've seen is 53k.

As for recommending particular brands, I've always used US Robotic modems. They are not hundred percent foolproof, but I think they are of better quality. Like what Bovon mentioned already, ISA slots is being left off newer motherboards which is a shame in the case of modems. ISA modems rock over PCI modems and is cheaper than an external serial modem.

[dmoltrup]

56K is not achievable without increasing the carrier voltage of your phone line. Since the FCC does not allow this, 56K is not achievable. It might be possible if you live within two miles of your ISP, though. The "fastest allowable by law" is 53Kbps.

[bob05]

but in theroy wouldn't internal be faster than external (keyword: in theroy)???:confused:

[dmoltrup]

Originally posted by bob05
but in theroy wouldn't internal be faster than external (keyword: in theroy)???:confused:

You are correct. Your PCI bus has a MUCH larger 'bottleneck', meaning the maximum data it can possibly transfer per second. This bottleneck is much higher than the speed of your modem, though, so it doesn't affect it. Most parallel ports, for example, can transfer data at up to 128,000bps. This is much faster than your modem, which can be up to 53,000bps.

USB ports are even faster still. USB 1.0 can be from 1.5 to 12Mbps.

So, theoretically, internal IS faster than external, unless the speed of the device (in this case a modem) is slow. Then it makes no difference HOW it is connected, provided there aren't any additional factors such as IRQ conflicts or the like.

[hyborn]

External all the way

Used both internal and external, and external (via serial) seems to connect quicker for me, and works better cross-platform (i.e. linux and Windows)

Make sure you pick a hardware modem and not a "soft" Winmodem - they are the bane of my existence I swear...